It is, of course, generally known to cook foods using heat or heat generating devices, such as ovens, stoves, burners, grills, and, especially in the modern age, microwave ovens that utilize microwave energy to excite polar molecules in foods, thereby heating and cooking the same. To cook food, it is typical to utilize a pot, pan or other receptacle, and to place the food to be cooked within the receptacle. The receptacle is then typically added to the heat source for cooking thereof.
However, traditional cooking within pots, pans and other receptacles creates significant problems for the cook. The receptacles tend to get messy and must be cleaned after cooking therein. The act of cooking may also generate unpleasant cooking odors that are difficult to contain, especially with the cooking of seafood and meats. Oftentimes, inexperience may lead to improperly cooked foods, which may pose not only problems with the taste and/or texture of foods, but also with safety, especially if food is undercooked. And if foods are overcooked, they can lose moisture content making the foods difficult to eat and lacking in flavor.
Oftentimes, to properly prepare food while cooking, ingredients must be added to the food, such as oils, water, spices, flavorings, and other like ingredients. It can be difficult to properly add ingredients in correct ratios and at correct times to prepare recipes and properly cook food
Raw food may also pose a significant health risk, especially in the touching of raw meats by consumers, which may carry bacteria and other pathogens, causing illness to the consumers.
The above problems are especially exacerbated when using a heating source that is enclosed, such as an oven, boiler or, especially, a microwave oven. Specifically, it is oftentimes difficult to enter the enclosed space to add ingredients or to properly gauge the cooking of food therein.
In other circumstances, cooking foods produce oils and moisture that emanate from the cooking foods that may be collected and utilized to make other foods, such as gravies, sauces, and other like foods. It may be difficult to collect these materials during the food cooking process.
Moreover, consumers may lack the time necessary to properly prepare foods so that the foods are cooked well and are tasty to the consumer. Many families are pulled in many different directions, and many consumers may find it difficult to create savory meals that are healthy, tasty and well-prepared.
In addition, fresh and/or raw goods for consumption, such as, for example, vegetables, may be prepared by mixing the same with sauces, dressings or the like. It may be difficult to prepare a sauce or dressing for vegetables, such as a salad, that provides a tasty mixture without making a mess or mixing in improper ratios.
A need, therefore, exists for apparatus, systems and methods for increasing the speed and ease of cooking while minimizing the effort required for kitchen and utensil cleanup. Specifically, a need exists for apparatus, systems and methods for food cooking packaging that is easily disposable and provides a non-messy package which facilitates microwave, conventional oven, stove top and/or boiler cooking of meat, fish, vegetables, and other food products.
Moreover, a need exists for apparatus, systems and methods that eliminate unpleasant cooking odors associated with the cooking of foods, especially seafood. Moreover, a need exists for the rapid cooking of foods that retain moisture within the foods and provide a juicy eating experience for the cooked foods.
A need further exists for apparatus, systems and methods for cooking of foods without the need to add oils, water, spices, flavorings, or other ingredients during the cooking process. Moreover, a need exists for apparatus, systems and methods to eliminate the handling of raw foods that may pose significant health problems for consumers.
Further, a need exists for apparatus, systems and methods that collect and separate greases, oils and moisture from cooking food either for disposal thereof or that may be utilized in the creation of other food products, such as gravies, sauces and other like food products. Moreover, a need exists for apparatus, systems and methods that utilize cooking byproducts from a cooking food that may be utilized to flavor one or more other food products.
Still further, a need exists for apparatus, systems and methods for providing separate compartments for ingredients in a mixture, such as ingredients for a sauce, dressing, or other like mixture, for fresh and/or uncooked food products, such as vegetables or the like, wherein the ingredients can be mixed together to form a mixed product.